Free workshop combines fishing and kayaking

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is hosting the Second Annual Kayak Fish and Float workshop on April 13 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the John E. Pechmann Fishing Education Center in Fayetteville.

The free workshop, which is open to the public, will include fishing how-to seminars and demonstrations of popular fishing kayaks. Mark Patterson, of the N.C. Kayak Fishing Association, along with Hobie Kayak Pro Angler Capt. Jerry Dilsaver, will present workshops throughout the day on the following topics:

Kayak Safety and Rigging;

Offshore Fishing for King Mackerel;

Inshore Kayak Fishing for Redfish, Flounder and Speckled Trout; and,

Kayak Fishing for Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Catfish and Carp.

Participants will have the opportunity to practice their kayaking skills on Lake Rim using fishing kayaks provided by the Great Outdoor Provision Company, which partnered with the Wildlife Commission to organize the workshop.

The Commission also partnered with Heroes on the Water to provide food vendor services at the workshop.

“Heroes on the Water is an organization that provides basic kayak fishing instruction, angling clinics and paddling classes for injured, wounded or disabled military personnel,” said Tom Carpenter, a fisheries technician at the Pechmann Fishing Education Center.“They will be selling hot dogs, chips and drinks, with all proceeds going toward providing kayak fishing outings for wounded service members and veterans.”

More than 40 adults participated in the Kayak Fish and Float workshop last year. Several of the smaller, 12-foot fishing kayaks will be available for teens and young adults to use this year, according to Carpenter.

“We designed the workshop to be family friendly,” Carpenter said. “We made it free to encourage more people to combine the healthy activity of kayaking with the relaxing sport of fishing. Kayaking can be a fun and exciting way to have access to all kinds of fishing.”

While the workshop is free, pre-registration is required due to limited space. To register, contact Carpenter at 910-868-5003, ext. 15, or thomas.carpenter@ncwildlife.org. The John E. Pechmann Fishing Education Center, the only fishing education center of its kind in North Carolina, is located at 7489 Raeford Road in Fayetteville, directly across the street from Lake Rim.

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